The general automotive technician salary may not be much – around $12 to $17 an hour – but as your skills develop and you have long years of experience, you can expect the numbers to increase and improve. After all, auto technician has important role in repairing, maintaining, and caring for motorized vehicles, and as long as there are vehicles to repair or care, you will never have to worry about running out of work.
The Main Responsibility
Being an auto tech means that you will deal a lot with machineries. Your main job is to perform diagnostic checking, routine rapier, regular check up and service, and also vehicle maintenance. It means that you are going to deal a lot with hydraulic inspection, brake, advanced electric and fuel ignition, primary checking, AC, alignment and suspension, and also computer systems. Besides the general checking, you will be required to have good communication skill as you will need to describe the necessary procedures or steps to customers as well as giving out cost estimation. Big companies who have dealerships or even can rental sub-districts also require professional auto techs to maintain and check on their fleet. If you come to think of it, your work won’t be limited to repair garage only – as you can work in any environments and surroundings, as long as there are motorized vehicles involved.
The Professional Surroundings
A professional auto tech generally works in auto shops or mechanic garage, and such business generally has regular business operational hours. Such establishment usually has more than one technician that are supervised and monitored by senior technicians or shop managers. But there are more work to this profession that only repairing machines, you will also be responsible for ordering auto parts as well as other supplies that are generally needed for the maintenance or repair. Be prepared to work in a special environment with manual or electrical tools; some of which may require special training to use. not only the work require skills and wit, it is also quite demanding and require physical strength; you will lift, squat, or stay in uncomfortable positions for quite some times – not to mention that you will also be exposed to various toxic chemicals.
The Main Tasks
Here are your main responsibilities when you become an auto tech:
• Diagnose and check malfunctions with the electronic testing equipment
• Maintain inventory of parts and tools, which mean you will deal with management and ordering
• Check, repair, and maintain the vehicles
• Communicate and discuss with customers about parts, service, and also sales
It is also possible to have additional works that are related to this field, so always be prepared and be ready.
Work Overview
It is crucial that you have the certificate in order to work as professional technician. Although the certifications are different for different subjects, having one is important as it will make hiring process easier and smoother. The average salary for this profession is around $38,000, but that depends on the skills, expertise, experience, and educational background. Master degree in this field will create higher automotive technician salary, when compared to the bachelor degree.